Pirelli supersoft to make seasonal bow

Pirelli's supersoft tyre will make its first appearance of the season this weekend in the Monaco Grand Prix, with the tyre supplier having also elected to take its soft tyre to the streets of the principality.

With the street circuit relying almost exclusively on mechanical grip, it is ideal territory for the supersoft, which benefits from a rapid warm-up time and is capable of generating very high levels of traction and cornering forces.

The supersoft tyre being used is the same compound as the one used last season, albeit with a new profile to fit into the 2012 rules.

“Monaco is a highlight of the season and a place where our supersoft and soft tyres have provided plenty of entertainment in the past,” Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said. “Last year, we had three drivers on three different strategies set for a grandstand finish – before a red flag got in the way. The supersoft is the only compound that remains unaltered from last year, as it proved to be so effective on circuits like Monaco, but of course the profile has been re-designed to better suit the 2012 regulations.

“With the wear rate being so low in Monaco, the drivers will be able to push at their hardest from start to finish. Tyre strategy will be very important in Monaco, where on-track overtaking is more difficult than anywhere else. Having said that, the Principality has a history of often springing a surprise. With the cars so evenly matched now, even the slightest advantage or smallest mistake can have a big impact on the final outcome of a race, as we've seen so far this season.”

Join
the conversation - Add your comment

Although the administrators and moderators of this website will attempt to keep all objectionable comments off these pages, it is impossible for us to review all messages. All messages express the views of the poster, and neither Crash Media Group nor Crash.Net will be held responsible for the content of any message. We do not vouch for or warrant the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any message, and are not responsible for the contents of any message. If you find a message objectionable, please contact us and inform us of the problem or use the [report] function next to the offending post. Any message that does not conform with the policy of this service can be edited or removed with immediate effect.